Arrangement for continuous diffusion



April 4, 1950 v. FRYNTA 2,502,939

ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTINUOUS DIFFUSION Filed Sept. 18, 1947 Illgll.

Vilm F1 111m Patented Apr. 4, 1950 ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTINUOUS DIFFUSIONVilm Frynta, Librantice, Trebechovice P. 0., Czechoslovakia, assignor ofone-half to Skoda Works, National Corporation, Pilsen, CzechoslovakiaApplication September 18, 1947, Serial No. 774,711 In CzechoslovakiaOctober 2, 1946 9 Claims.

My invention relates to a counter-current dif fusion apparatus forcontinuous operation and more particularly to such apparatus used forextracting sugar from beet chippings, cossettes, or the like.

The object of my invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the knownapparatus of this type and more particularly to devise an apparatuswhich is simple in its construction and reliable in its operation.

The novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The inventionitself, however, both as to its organization and its method ofoperation, together with addie tional objects and advantages thereof,will best be understood from the following description of a specificembodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing inwhich Fig. l is a schematic sectional View of an illustrative embodimentof my invention, and

Fig. 2 a section in enlarged scale through a specific part of myapparatus more fully described hereinafter.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in both figures.

The diffusion apparatus comprises a top open vertical cylindrical tank Iand centrally located within the same a tightly closed cylindrical coremember 2 leaving a diffusion space of annular cross section.

This diffuser space is separated at its bottom by an annular sieve 3 andthe said cylindrical tank l is closed at its bottom by a cover 4 whichslopes in a neck 5 connected over a slide or other closing member 6 to aquick current pre-heater 2! from Where the juice passes through the pipe22 into a mixer 20 wherein it is mixed with chippings coming from a beetcutter [9. Through the center of the cover 4 passes the inlet pipe 7 forintroduction of the mixture of juice and chippings into the diffusionspace within said tank i. Said inlet pipe 1 extends above said sieve 3where it is bent to form an arm 8 lying reasonably close above saidsieve 3. Said inlet pipe 1 and hollow arm 8 are revolving about avertical axis by means of a worm gear 9. The knee between said arm 8 iscovered with a cap l0 firmly attached thereto and this cap it [forms afree extension of said core member 2 thus closing the conformingcentral. opening of the annular sieve 3 and confining the diffusionspace Within tank I. Said arm 8 extends close to the wall of cylinder Iand is provided on its entire length with a longitudinally extendingdischargeopening 8 for the mixture of chipping and juice, said openingfacing in a direction opposite to its rotation as shown in enlargedscale in Fig. 2 wherein the arrow 25 indicates the direction of rotationof said arm 8, which may have a variable fiow profile to insure auniform distribution of said mixture above the sieve 3.

A sloping boardlike member of a functionally similar wedgelike member His attached to the rotating arm 8 in front of its rotating movement tolift the mixture resting upon the sieve 3 above the arm 8. This liftingmember it may extend into a roofiike member l2 resting upon the arm 8and projecting beyond the same to protect the arm opening 8 from thepressure resulting from the overlying mixture. The lifting member I!slides with its front edge, which may be sharpened, upon the sieve orscreen 3 and the said arm 8 may be provided with brushes or scrapers 26to keep the sieve or screen clean. In case that a grate is used insteadof a sieve or screen then the same is preferably composed of concentricring sections which easily cooperate with the rotating scrapers or thelike.

Instead of arranging only one discharge arm 8 it may be advisable,particularly in the case of heavy-duty diffusion apparatus, to attachtwo or more radial arms to the inlet pipe 1. In such case it may be offurther advantage to make these arms of different length, each of saidarms cooperating with one annular surface portion of the diffusion sieve3.

It will be also understood that said inlet pipe I may be stationarybeing firmly connected to the pressure pipe of the pump i3 and that thearm or arms 3 may be rotated by imparting a rotary movement to theconnecting cap Hi to which the arm or arms 8 are attached.

The said pump i3 conveys the mixture of diffusion juice and fresh beetchippings into the diffusion space and a closable slide it is arrangedpreceding said inlet pipe 1.

Above the top open cylinder l and connected thereto is a casing 15 whichhouses a rake conveyor it for the exhausted chippings which aredischarged through the opening ll upon a worm conveyor or the like whichis not shown in the drawing. Hot water is introduced into said casing i5through the pipe it which is provided with a slide or other closuremember.

Moreover, Fig. l is showing a sugar beet cutter i9 and a mixingapparatus for mixing the chippings with the juice, the discharge of saidmixing apparatus being connected to a centrifugal pump I3.

The mixer 20 is provided with a double jacket, the inner jacket being afine sieve. From the space between both jackets the raw juice is drawnoff through the pipe 24.

The apparatus described above operates as follows: The beets areintroduced into the cutter l9, chipped therein and the chippings orcossettes carried into the mixer 26 wherein they are Inixed at thebeginning of the operation with the hot water entering the mixer 20through the pipe 22 and later on with the juice which leaves thediffusion space through the neck 5 and is preheated in the heater 2!.The amount .of juice admitted into the mixer may be controlled by a notshown slide or other regulating member mounted in said pipe .22. In themixer 20 the fresh chippings are freed from air bubbles whereupon theyare conveyed by the pump l3 through the pipe l and the rotating arm orarms 8 into the diffusion space above the sieve 3 in the tank l. Thesaid arm or arms -8 rotate above the sieve 3 at such speed that thelifting members ll, l2 attached thereto set free sufficient space forthe chippings leaving the arm or arms 8 through their'openings 8. teringt re diffusion space together with the chippings through the action ofthe pump 13 leaves said diffusion space again through the sieve 3 intothe chamber between said sieve 3 and the tank cover 4 and returnsthrough the neck 5, the quick-current preheater 2i and the pipe 22 intothe mixer 20.

The said lifting members H, 12, while freeing sufficient space withinthe tank 9 for the chippings newly introduced therein, lift the entirechipping column within the tank at each revolution of the arm or arms .8by the height of the newly arriving chipping layer. The exhaustedchippings finally raised to the top opening of the tank 1 and into thecasing l5 are removed therefrom by the conveyor 16 or any other suitablemanner.

The raw juice is taken through the pipe 24 from the space between thetwo jackets of the mixer 20. amount of water leaving with the exhaustedchippings, as well as any amount of water otherwise lost dm'ing theoperation, is replaced :by hot water delivered into the apparatusthrough the pipe l8. In order to maintain an equilibrium of water and/orjuice within the apparatus, the water level on top of the tank 3 and thejuice level within the mixer 20 are permanently kept .constant by anysuitable :device, for example :by a float not shown in the drawing,which device adjusts the closure means of the pipes l8 and 22respectively.

While I have shown and described only one specific embodiment of myinvention, it will be well understood that many modifications thereofare possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted exceptinsofar as is necessitated 'by the prior art and by the spirit of theappended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation,especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings theimprovement comprising in combination a vertical top open cylindricaltank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of thetank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet ch'ippings and beet juices,said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passingcentrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to said feed- The juiceen- The amount of raw juice and the ing pipe at least one radialdistributing arm circularly rotatable above said sieve, driving means toeffect such rotating movement, a discharge opening extending lengthwisein said distributing arm and facing in a direction opposite to rotation,and :a wedgelike rotating member closely preceding said rotatingdistributing arm, said wedgelike member sliding with its acting frontedge upon the sieve and rising with its breast plane to the uppersurface of the rotating distributing arm to lift the said mixture fromthe sieve in front of and above the rotating distrib- -.uting arm.

2. Ina =countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation,especially for the extrac- .tion .of sugar from beet chippings, theimprovement comprising in combination, a vertical top open cylindricaltank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of thetank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice,said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passingcentrally through the diffusion =sieve, attached to said feeding pipe atleast one radial distributing arm circularly rotatable above the sieveand extending as nearly as possible to the latters outer border, drivingmeans to effect the rotation of the distributing arm, said distributingarm having a lengthwise extending discharge opening facing in adirection opposite to rotation, and a wedgelike rotating memberpreceding said rotating distributing arm, said wedgelike member slidingwith its acting front edge upon the sieve and rising with its breastplane to the upper surface of the rotating distributing arm to lift thesaid mixture rom the sieve in front of and above therotating'distri'buting arm.

3. In :a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation,especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings, theimprovement comprising in combination, a top open vertical cylindricaltank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the 'bottom ofsaid tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beetjuice to be introduced into said tank, said feeding pipe entering saidtank through its bottom and passing centrally through the diffusionsieve, attached to said feeding pipe at least one radial :distributingarm circularly rotating above the sieve, driving means to effect therotation of said arm, a lengthwise extending discharge opening in thesaid arm facing in a direction opposite to its rotation, and attached tosaid arm a sloping boardlike member preceding the rotating arm, slidingwith its free edge upon the sieve and rising with its breast plane tothe upper :surface of the rotating arm.

4. In a c'ountercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation,especially for the extraction of sugar from beet 'chippings, theimprovement-comprising in combination, a top open vertical cylindricaltank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of saidtank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice,'said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passingcentrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to said feeding pipe atleast one radial distributing arm circularly rotating above the sieve,driving means to effect the rotation of said arm, a lengthwise extendingdischarge opening in said arm facing in a direction opposite to itsrotation, and attached to the arm a sloping member having an essentiallyhorizontal roof-like extension, said sloping member preceding therotating arm and sliding with its front edge upon said sieve, and saidrooflike extension overhanging the rotating arm above its dischargeopening.

5. In countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation,especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings theimprovement comprising in combination a top open vertical tank, anessentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of said tank, afeeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice to beintroduced into said tank, said feeding pipe entering said tank throughits bottom and passing centrally through the diffusion sieve, attachedto said feeding pipe at least one radial distributin arm circularlyrotating above the sieve, driving means to effect such rotation of saidarm, a lengthwise extending discharge opening therein facing in adirection opposite to its rotation, and above said distributing arm arooilike member having in the direction of rotation a sloping extensionsliding with its free edge upon the sieve and in the other direction anextension overhanging the distributing arm.

6. In a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operationaccording to claim 1, the

further improvement consisting therein that the diffusion sieve isconcentrically shaped in respect to its axis to ensure a thoroughcooperation between the acting edge of the rotating wedgelike member andthe surface of the sieve.

7. In a countercurrent difiusion apparatus for continuous operation,especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings, theimprovement comprising in combination a top open vertical cylindricaltank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of saidtank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice, arotatable extension of said feeding pipe entering the tank centrallythrough its bottom, driving means to effect such rotation of saidrotatable pipe extension, the same passing into at least one radialdistributing arm circularly rotating above said sieve, said distributingarm having lengthwise a discharge opening facing in a direction oppositeto rotation, and a wedgelike rotating member closely preceding therotating distributing arm, said wedgelike member sliding with its actingfront edge upon the sieve and rising with its breast plane to the uppersurface of the rotating arm.

8. In a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation,especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings or slices,the improvement comprising in combination a top open verticalcylindrical tank an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above thebottom of said tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippingsand beet juice, said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottomand passing centrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to saidfeeding pipe a plurality of radial distributing arms circularlyrotatable above said sieve, at least one of the arms extending as nearlyas possible to the outer border of the sieve, and the remaining armsbeing of different length, each distributing arm having a lengthwiseextending discharge opening facing in a direction opposite to rotation,and a plurality of wedgelike rotating members each attached to andclosely preceding one of said rotating distributing arms, each wedgelikemember sliding with its acting front edge upon the sieve and rising withbreast plane to the upper surface of the rotating distributing arm tolift the said mixture from the sieve in front of and above the rotatingdistributing arm.

9. In a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation,especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings, theimprovement comprising in combination, a top open vertical cylindricaltank, a cylindrical core member concentrically arranged in said tank toform a diffusion space of annular cross section, an essentiallyhorizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of said tank, a feeding pipefor the mixture of beet chips or slices and beet juice, said feedingpipe entering said tank through its bottom and passing centrally throughthe diffusion sieve, attached to said feeding pipe at least one radialdistributing arm circularly rotatable above the sieve, said distributingarm having lengthwise a discharge opening facing in a direction oppositeto rotation, and a wedgelike rotating member preceding the rotatingdistributing arm, said wedgelike member sliding with its acting edgeupon the sieve and rising'with its breast plane at least to the uppersurface of the rotating distributing arm to lift the said mixture fromthe sieve in front of and above the rotating distributing arm.

V'ILEM FRYNTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 860,810 Klandy et al July 23,1907 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,270 France Apr. 26, 1855132,035 France July 31, 1870 597,408 France Aug. 29, 1925 583,637Germany Sept. 7, 1933

